I like her and Mike Evans together better. The chemistry was there and genuinue. I did not care for Damon Evans. I thought he overacted in that role.

Definitely Mike Evans

Mike Evans was just a better Lionel anyway.

Mike, hands down. Damon looked enough like Berlinda to be her twin brother. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Mike Evans for sure....he was the original(from AITF) and he proved why he should have been the only Lionel. He and Jenny were more believeable together.

Also can someone tell me if Mike and Damon were brothers or related to each other or did they just happen to have the same last name?

Mike Evans for sure....he was the original(from AITF) and he proved why he should have been the only Lionel. He and Jenny were more believeable together.

Also can someone tell me if Mike and Damon were brothers or related to each other or did they just happen to have the same last name?
They were not related - they just happened to have the last name.

They were not related - they just happened to have the last name.

Thanks Cat!;)

I like Damon but I gotta go for Mike.

Thanks Cat!;)
You're welcome!! Here's a bit of interesting trivia - Mike Evans was born on November 3, 1949, and Berlinda Tolbert was born the very next day!! :cool: Not only that, they were both born in North Carolina!! (Mike was born in Salisbury and Berlinda was born in Charlotte.) Damon Evans was born exactly three weeks after Mike on November 24, 1949. How's that for a small world? :D

You're welcome!! Here's a bit of interesting trivia - Mike Evans was born on November 3, 1949, and Berlinda Tolbert was born the very next day!! :cool: Not only that, they were both born in North Carolina!! (Mike was born in Salisbury and Berlinda was born in Charlotte.) Damon Evans was born exactly three weeks after Mike on November 24, 1949. How's that for a small world? :D

Belinda was on some show being interviewed ( I think Tanya Hart), and they mentioned this.Being that I live in NC and that Salisbury and Charlotte are not that far, maybe they are related.That's some interesting bit about Damon though.As pertaining to the question, Mike Evans was obviously the better fit.

Belinda was on some show being interviewed ( I think Tanya Hart), and they mentioned this.Being that I live in NC and that Salisbury and Charlotte are not that far, maybe they are related.That's some interesting bit about Damon though.As pertaining to the question, Mike Evans was obviously the better fit.
Damon Evans was born not too terribly far away in Baltimore. I liked Mike as Lionel better - but I did think the episode where Damon as Lionel takes over his dad's business was hilarious. :rofl: Damon is also well known as an opera singer, but Mike had a nice set of pipes as well. Remember in the earliest episodes where Mike's Lionel sat at the piano in a bar singing "Cabaret"? That was awesome!! :D

I like Damon but I gotta go for Mike.

I thought they both had great chemistra with Berlinda but I actually prefer Damon a little bit over Mike which is kind of ironic since he was the replacement.

It's still so hard to believe that Mike is dead!! :eek:

I liked both, but I would give an edge to Mike (the original).

i liked first Lionel better

Mike Evans was the better one in my opinion. He made the show and character for me.

Maybe it's just me, but I never really thought Lionel and Jenny made a great couple in the first place. But if they had to be together, then Mike was better.

The second Lionel was gay, and Jenny was not particularly attractive, so perhaps it is fitting that an overacting gay male should play her husband. Actually, Tolbert was neither beautiful or talented, so I find her casting the most questionable of all. I figure she was cast for her theater background and resemblance to Roxie Rocker (who, rest in peace, was a great actress).

The second Lionel was gay, and Jenny was not particularly attractive, so perhaps it is fitting that an overacting gay male should play her husband. Actually, Tolbert was neither beautiful or talented, so I find her casting the most questionable of all. I figure she was cast for her theater background and resemblance to Roxie Rocker (who, rest in peace, was a great actress).


there was nothing unattractive about jenny, u need eye surgery

there was nothing unattractive about jenny, u need eye surgery

I thought she was cute but was just too skinny but she did fit the role almost perfectly.

Actually, I don't think either Lionel was that great in the role. Mike Evans always seemed too nervous, likehe couldn't wait to get off the stage. Damon Evans was just too much of an overactor, who seemed more like he was in a high school production, or one of those awful Tyler Perry series. The rest of the cast was excellent.

Actually, I don't think either Lionel was that great in the role. Mike Evans always seemed too nervous, likehe couldn't wait to get off the stage. Damon Evans was just too much of an overactor, who seemed more like he was in a high school production, or one of those awful Tyler Perry series. The rest of the cast was excellent.


What do you mean by nervous?

Actually, I don't think either Lionel was that great in the role. Mike Evans always seemed too nervous, likehe couldn't wait to get off the stage. Damon Evans was just too much of an overactor, who seemed more like he was in a high school production, or one of those awful Tyler Perry series. The rest of the cast was excellent.

I thought both were good but slightly preferred Damon Evans.

Damon Evans as Lionel was too goody goody with Jenny. Mike Evans was more balanced and alot cooler.

Damon Evans as Lionel was too goody goody with Jenny. Mike Evans was more balanced and alot cooler.


Damon Evans was TOO NOT RIGHT period for the Lionel character which is why the show lost viewers from 75 to 78 and then picked back up in 79 when Mike Evans returned-lol

The second Lionel was gay, and Jenny was not particularly attractive, so perhaps it is fitting that an overacting gay male should play her husband. Actually, Tolbert was neither beautiful or talented, so I find her casting the most questionable of all. I figure she was cast for her theater background and resemblance to Roxie Rocker (who, rest in peace, was a great actress).
I think Jenny was very cute. Also, I don't think she looked anything like Roxy Roker. As for Lionel, I think Mike Evans was the best "Lionel." The other guy's acting was so over-the-top. He definitely wasn't as cool or as smooth as Mike.

I think Jenny was very cute. Also, I don't think she looked anything like Roxy Roker. As for Lionel, I think Mike Evans was the best "Lionel." The other guy's acting was so over-the-top. He definitely wasn't as cool or as smooth as Mike.


It's a shame that Mike Evans got less screen time than

Florence
Mother Jefferson
The Willises
Mr. bentley


LOL

^^^ Yes, it seemed like even Ralph the doorman and Charlie the bartender got more screen time than Lionel ..............

^ :yeahthat No wonder Mike Evans felt disenchanted with the show.

I still say Damon Evans was the better Lionel. It doesn't matter if he was gay in his personal since that only shows he can really act!

I will say that I liked the episode where Damon as Lionel took over the dry-cleaning business and made one insane decision after another. He was so enthusiastic that it was hilarious - especially when George was going ballistic. :lol:

I will say that I liked the episode where Damon as Lionel took over the dry-cleaning business and made one insane decision after another. He was so enthusiastic that it was hilarious - especially when George was going ballistic. :lol:

LOL...that was a great episode.

Lionel lost touch with reality as he ran Jefferson Cleaners.

Lionel lost touch with reality as he ran Jefferson Cleaners.

That's an understatement. :rofl:

You need to consider that Jenny was not very pretty.

You need to consider that Jenny was not very pretty.


You respond to a year old thread to say that? Are you bored?

You respond to a year old thread to say that? Are you bored?
A year and 4 months to be exact! He or she must be VERY bored! :lol:

You need to consider that Jenny was not very pretty.

You respond to a year old thread to say that? Are you bored?

Seriously. And when I read that comment from Coffee Florence, I was thinking WTF??? I've always been struck by how pretty Berlinda Tolbert is. I believe somebody spiked his coffee because he's not making sense. And even if the comment were true, it's plain rude.

Seriously. And when I read that comment from Coffee Florence, I was thinking WTF??? I've always been struck by how pretty Berlinda Tolbert is. I believe somebody spiked his coffee because he's not making sense. And even if the comment were true, it's plain rude.


It was nothing unattractive about Jenny. She looked a lot better in the 80's

It was nothing unattractive about Jenny. She looked a lot better in the 80's

I'm not sure what "it" refers to, but no, she was not unattractive.

I agree with the poster who said neither actor was great. I totally get what they meant when they said Mike Evans appeared too "nervous". It always seemed like he just wanted to get his lines over with and get off the stage. Damon just overacted, period. I can see why both actors got minimal screen time.

Berlinda, however, was wonderful.

I agree with the poster who said neither actor was great. I totally get what they meant when they said Mike Evans appeared too "nervous". It always seemed like he just wanted to get his lines over with and get off the stage. Damon just overacted, period. I can see why both actors got minimal screen time.

Berlinda, however, was wonderful.


Damon Evans was the worst character of any Norman lear sitcom

The best comparison I can give is...

Miss Ellie played by Barbara Bel Geddes was the equivalent to Lionel being played by Mike Evans

Miss Ellie played by Donna Reed was the equivalent to Lionel being played by Damon Evans.


Damon was the better and more technically sound actor. And more versitle as well (no pun intended). But Mike Evans was probably better for the part. In some ways Damon was probably miscast. In other ways, Damon's decision to play Lionel a bit more intellectual and calmer was a mistake - the same mistake Donna Reed made when she tried to pretty up the role of Miss Ellie. The audience was already used to the more hood, keepin it real version of Lionel played by Mike Evans.

Same dynamic.

Jenny was definitely better with the Mike Evans incarnation of Lionel. Also, the writers changed Lionel a bit when he was recast, he was a lot more whiny and petulant, IMO.

Jenny was definitely better with the Mike Evans incarnation of Lionel. Also, the writers changed Lionel a bit when he was recast, he was a lot more whiny and petulant, IMO.


He calmed down a bit in season 3 and 4 when he had the mustache. But in season 2 he was very whiny